Improvement in the distillation of hydrocarbozmttls



I generator into the lower part of the still.

@anni tant' strut Ww.

Letters Patent No. 91,953, dated Juc 29, 1869.

'IIEPROVEMENT IN THE DISTI-LLATION OR HYDROCARBOBLOILS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To alta-hom it 'may conce'rw:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS MCCARTY, of Smiths Ferry, in the county of Beaver, `and State of- Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective View, partly in section, of my improved still, and

Figure 2 is a diminished sectional view of the lower part of the still.

Like letters of reference indicate Vlike parts in each.

My invention relates to that class ot' stills for distilling'hydrocarbon-oils,.in which the vaporizing of the dist-illable products is effected wholly 'or in part by, steam. common or superheated, introduced into the stm; and

` The nature of it consists in causing the oil in the still to move in a continuously -returning current or iiow, by the action of the steam, the cil entering the steam-pipe through a funnel at some distance from the discharging-emi of such pipe, passing through the pipe along with the steam, and being discharged at the end of the pipe, and returning in continuous flow, thereby keeping up a constant and `intimate intermixture of steam and oil.

My invention further consists in feeding a jet of oil anda jet of steam together through the same pipe continuouslypinto the still, and in the construction of apparatus for carrying on' the processes above specifled. To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and manner of use.

'lheoil-still I; may be of 4any known or usual con` struction.

.The steam-pipe a leads from any suitablesteam Before it enters the still b, a pipe, c, joins it, which latter leads from the crude-oil tank. f

l Each is supplied with a cock, a' c',.`to regulate the supply ot' steam or oil, as the case may be, or tocut oli' either or both altogether.

The pipe a leads s'ome distance into the still b, beforeit discharges.

At any desired point inside the still, but preferably at somelittle distance back of the discharging-aperture, I insert into the pipe a, a funnel, cl, so as to pel'- mit through it the i'low of oil from the body of oil in the still, into and along the pipe a, toward and out at its discharging-end.

The cocks a' c' being both opened when itis desired to charge the still, the force or rush of the steam along the pipe a will carry with it a jet ot' oil, which liows in' through the pipe c. As they pass along into the still, the ingredients, by the distillation and condensation of which illuminating-oil is made, will be vaporized wholly or in part, and pass oi` through the goose-neck f to the condenser.

The heavier oils will remain unvaporized.

As soon as the oil in the still rises above the mouth of the funnel '(1, the rush of the steam in the pipe a .will lcause a tlowof oil through the funnel d into and along the pipe a, which action will go on continuously, as long as the process is continued. bring the article to be distilled and the vaporizing-agent into close contact, and completely intermix them, and so secure the most perfect and economical action of the steam on the oil I cpntinue the process until the still is full oi' cil, if so desired, and then, or sooneras may be preferred, cut ofi' the supply oi' oil by turning the cock c', and continue to work the oil that is already in the still, inthe manner above described, unt-1l the contents of the still are reduced to any desired degree of gravity, preferably, however, driving over and condensing the illuminating-oils, and drawing off the rcmainder, which is useful for lubricating and other purposes, by a cock, e, in the lower part ofthe still.

This process is particularly designed for the distillation of the heavier kinds of petroleum, which are found in some localities, and which contain little `r no gasoline or benzine, or other very light oils; but it is ap plicable to the distillation ofthe lighter oils also, in which case the benzine, gasoline, Sac., may be driven off, in a separate still, either before or after vthe oil is subjected to the process above described.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, in the vdistillation of hydrocarbonoils isl. Causing the oil in the still to move in. a continuously-returning current or flow, by means of a jet of steam, and a funnel inserted in the steam-pipe back of the `dischargi11g-aperture, substantially as described.

2. Feeding a jet of oil and a jet ot' steam continu onslyinto a still through a common pipe, substantially v as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A funnel, cl, inserted in a steam-pipe, a, insidel the still, and back of the discharging-aperture, substantially as and for the purposes 'hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof, I, the said FRANCIS MOOART TY, have hereunto set my hand.

Witnesses:

L. RICHARDSON, A. J. PE'rTrr.

In this way I FRANCIS; MCCARTY.' 

